Very rustic verandah seat

**Andy Mac** · 24th February 2009, 08:38 PM

Hi there,
Its been a while since I've done any woodwork, and this project is a bit of roughy!
It came about simply because I had an old farm gate which I'd brought into work (first picture), thinking it might get used in a theatre set build. It didn't, so instead of taking it back to junk alley at home, I pulled it apart wondering what it could be used for. I actually love the timber, the texture of age. Big challenge to work with though!

I have a stash of old kero tins...well in fact they look like kero tins, but were once full of honey and despite being rusty outside, they mostly still shine inside. I admire the improvisation that went into that old Depression furniture, which seemed to feature kero tins for drawers etc. Now we're flirting with a recession, I thought it might be timely to muck about making something similar.

So I placed three tins together, upright, and built a simple frame around them, working towards having a bench seat at normal chair height. All major joints are bolted, using recycled bolts. The four uprights aren't from the gate, as I found them slightly light and unsound for the task. They are oldish, with termites etc! The seat is three gate planks biscuit-jointed together. I added some planks for arms, opting for that instead of branches as originally planned, so I had a flat surface to rest a beer! Second photo is a progress shot, up to that stage.

Third photo is the back of the seat, which consists of 7 left-over pieces patchworked together, with biscuit joints between them. I didn't have any pieces left that were long enough! I cut tenons on the radial arm to socket each end into the rear uprights, on a slight angle.

Now the purpose of this rustic item is to store boots and shoes on the verandah, and have somewhere to sit while pulling them off...abit different than the shoe racks posted recently...

Cheers,

**Tex B** · 24th February 2009, 08:59 PM

I like it, Andy.

Clever, rustic, lots of character. When your theatre does the musical version of Baz Luhrmann's Australia, it will fit right in.

Until then, should get lots of good use while adding charm to any verandah.

Tex

**RufflyRustic** · 24th February 2009, 09:16 PM

Bewdy!

Yep, I reckon the arms are just right for resting a beer on them, indeed, can't have that ale spilling.

Cheers
Wendy

**springwater** · 24th February 2009, 09:22 PM

Good to see you back into it Andy Mac, more please.

**AlexS** · 25th February 2009, 08:23 AM

Good one Andy.

Of course, if you cut some holes in the seat, you could have a 3-holer.

**Bluegum** · 25th February 2009, 08:27 PM

Nice work there Andy. Looks really great.

**Andy Mac** · 25th February 2009, 09:26 PM

Thanks for the comments. Apart from the three holer...now I can't get that image out of my head, bustard!

I've just got in from the workshop, having completed the mortices...by hand!

Couldn't find a collet to suit the router bit required, so I marked them out, drilled a few holes in line and chopchopchop! Tell you, when fitted all together the tenoned backrest makes the whole structure rigid, despite not being pinned or glued.
I'll post a more together progress shot tomorrow.

Cheers,

**springwater** · 25th February 2009, 10:46 PM

Ah, thought the back was missing but didn't like to say as I thought it would be lent against a wall, so the wall would be the back

. I also thought the joined paneling was hidden from view underneath the seat as a back for the shelf supporting the tin cans

. Anyway...It'll be good to see it complete, any chance of just a little ornamentation? A magpie maybe?

**Andy Mac** · 26th February 2009, 08:59 PM

Hi again,
here's a bit of progress. I have roughly assembled the parts, including the glued-up back rest. Still a back ledger to fit above the bottom shelf, and the two plinth pieces at the front need to be fitted better- at the moment they are loose, sitting on the floor.
I'm reasonably happy with it, for what it is,

but maybe I'll add some detail. Either a burned in brand on the back rest, or set in some bit of old iron mongery. I'll also have to fit on a steel collar on the left hand upright, as the morticing process split the top edge. Then all the wood will be wire brushed before final assembly.
I can see a gap with the tenon fit in the detail photo, simply caused by shuffling the bench along the concrete for the photo...it actually fits very snugly!

Cheers,

**RufflyRustic** · 27th February 2009, 03:47 PM

Love the back rest design Andy!

It's just begging to be used!

cheers
Wendy

**Jill** · 4th March 2009, 11:38 PM

Nice rustic piece, Andy! You've certainly put the timber to good use - and don't you love that patina of age! Modern materials look worse with age, usually, but natural ones often just get more character, don't they.

Cheers,

Jill

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